LAST UPDATE | 21 Aug 2024

A 13-YEAR old boy in Finglas, Dublin, remains without a school place just days before the new academic year, despite his case being raised multiple times in Dáil Éireann.

Sam Lewis, who is autistic and non-verbal, finished primary school in June, but despite the efforts of his parents, Sam remains without a spot in secondary school.

Sam is in need of a place in either an autism class in a mainstream secondary school or a place in a special education school, but to date has been turned down by 16 schools.

Sam’s father Greg and mother Celine have been applying to schools for Sam since last September when applications opened. 

The application for each school is onerous, involving supplying photocopies of 200 pages worth of documents including speech and language reports and psychology reports.

With just days to go until the new school term begins, Sam’s parents are at a loss over what’s next for their son and feel completely let down by the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education

Speaking to The Journal, Sam’s father Greg, who is a special needs assistant, said his family is “hoping and praying there’s going to be a miracle at the last minute”.

Greg, Sam and Celine Greg Lewis Greg Lewis

Despite applying to more schools following a meeting with representatives from the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education 14 weeks ago, Greg said Sam is “still no further down the line”. 

Sam’s parents now fear that their son will regress after making huge progress during his time in primary school, with Sam taking part in mainstream education classes for PE and art during fifth and sixth class. 

“They’ve done amazing work, for a non-verbal child his communication is fantastic,” Greg said.

“Sam has come on in such leaps and bounds because of the work that the school has done over the last six or seven years. That’s going to regress. I mean, as much as I can help him, I’m not qualified. I’m only an SNA.

“We’re not looking for anything out of the ordinary here, we’re just looking for Sam’s constitutionally right and every other kid that hasn’t got a school place.

“An education, we don’t think that’s too much to ask,” Greg added.

Sam’s situation was put to Minister for Education Norma Foley by The Journal during a media opportunity in Dublin today, but the Minister said she did not want to comment on individual cases. 

“I don’t underestimate the stress that’s been placed on parents, and we will do all that we can, and we are doing all that we can to work with the individual cases and the broader cases as well,” Foley said. 

When asked if she can guarantee that Sam will have a school place this September, Foley said:

“We are absolutely committed to ensuring that every child, and I don’t want to reference any individual child here, that every child has the appropriate school place, and we will work hand-in-hand with families, with the schools in question, to ensure that that’s the case.”

Public meeting

On Monday night this week, a public meeting was held in Finglas with 120 people attending to discuss the shortage of adequate special education supports in Dublin North West.

“There’s a lot of us in the same position, and we’re just hoping for that last minute miracle,” Greg told The Journal. 

A protest is now planned to take place on Friday morning outside the Department of Education in Dublin City, organised by campaign group Equality in Education Dublin North West, over the shortage of special education places in schools. 

Monday’s meeting was chaired by People Before Profit councillor Conor Reddy, who told The Journal that after housing, inadequate education provision is the biggest issue in the Ballymun-Finglas area he represents. 

Reddy’s party colleague, TD Richard Boyd Barrett put Sam’s case directly to Taoiseach Simon Harris on July 10 this year. 

In response, the Taoiseach said he could say “with a degree of confidence that every child will have a school place in September.”

“A forward planning unit has now been set up in the Department of Education in relation to special schools, children with disabilities, and planning. This cannot be rocket science. People know that when a child is X age they will require a secondary school place.

“It seems to me that this has not been happening at an early enough point. I can stand here today and tell the Deputy with a degree of confidence that every child will have a school place in September.

“I get that and that is good, but it can sometimes miss the point, though, regarding the level of stress, anxiety and worry that the child and their family go through.

“The point is taken, and I am happy to follow up on the additional specific cases if the Deputy so wishes,” the Taoiseach said. 

Despite this, Sam’s situation remains unchanged. 

A spokesperson for Minister Foley told The Journal that special education and provision of an appropriate school place “is a priority for the Government”.

“The NCSE is confident that there will be sufficient number of special classes to meet the needs of children known to them seeking a special class place for the coming school year.”

The Department said where it is not possible to secure the “small number” of additional special classes required, the NCSE and Department will consider the use of the available legislative provisions if necessary.

This includes Section 67 of the Admission to Schools Act 2018 which provides for the NCSE to direct schools to admit a student with special educational needs.”